A brand-new luxury yacht sank minutes after being launched off Turkey’s Black Sea coast, forcing passengers and crew to jump into the sea, video shared online showed.
The vessel, identified in reports as the 85-foot cruiser Dolce Vento and valued at about $1 million, was launched Tuesday in the Ereğli district of Zonguldak, a port city on Turkey’s Black Sea. Amateur footage posted online shows the boat being pushed into the water down a beach track and beginning to list within about 15 minutes of setting off.
In clips circulated on social media, the yacht can be seen swaying and then lurching to one side before taking on water. People onboard scrambled across the sloping deck and several dove or jumped into the sea to escape as the vessel slipped lower in the water. One clip shows a man in a dark suit standing on the vessel’s side before jumping into the water.
The Turkish Coast Guard and local port teams reached the scene and established a security perimeter around the capsized craft as it continued to sink, according to reports. Authorities were photographed and filmed near the vessel as it settled, and emergency responders remained on site.
A second still image from the video shows the yacht listing and water washing over its deck shortly before it sank further below the surface.
There were no immediate official reports released about injuries, casualties or the cause of the sinking. Local authorities and maritime officials typically examine such incidents to determine whether mechanical failure, loading or stability issues, or human error played a role, but Turkish officials had not released a statement on those points in the hours after the launch.
The launch and rapid capsizing were recorded by bystanders and shared widely online, drawing attention to the risks that can accompany ship launches and inaugural sailings. Investigators and port authorities are expected to review the incident and any available video and witness accounts to establish a timeline and cause, and to determine whether salvage or removal operations will be required for the vessel.
Representatives of the yacht builder, owner or the Turkish Coast Guard did not immediately provide comment to media outlets covering the incident.